Cristina Kirchner, 72 and currently under house arrest serving a six‑year sentence, has begun a separate trial accusing her of taking millions in bribes tied to the "notebooks" records kept by a government chauffeur. Prosecutors say she led a criminal enterprise that exchanged state contracts for cash; 87 people are charged. Her lawyers dispute the notebooks' reliability, claiming the records were altered more than 1,500 times. The trial arrives amid a major political shift after the Peronists' midterm defeat to President Javier Milei.
Cristina Kirchner Begins High‑Stakes Bribery Trial While Under House Arrest
Cristina Kirchner, 72 and currently under house arrest serving a six‑year sentence, has begun a separate trial accusing her of taking millions in bribes tied to the "notebooks" records kept by a government chauffeur. Prosecutors say she led a criminal enterprise that exchanged state contracts for cash; 87 people are charged. Her lawyers dispute the notebooks' reliability, claiming the records were altered more than 1,500 times. The trial arrives amid a major political shift after the Peronists' midterm defeat to President Javier Milei.
13:54, 06.11.2025Politics
Cristina Kirchner Begins High‑Stakes Bribery Trial While Under House Arrest
Argentine former president Cristina Kirchner, 72, who is serving a six‑year fraud sentence under house arrest, has gone on trial in a separate case accusing her of accepting millions of dollars in bribes tied to the so‑called "notebooks" scandal.
Allegations and scope
Prosecutors allege Kirchner led a criminal enterprise that took cash payments from businesspeople in exchange for state contracts between 2003 and 2015. A total of 87 people are charged in the case, including a former cabinet minister and several junior officials.
What are the "notebooks"?
The "notebooks" are records kept by a government chauffeur who says he documented deliveries of cash bribes to government officials across the period when Kirchner served as first lady (2003–2007), president (2007–2015) and later as vice‑president (2019–2023).
Kirchner was placed under house arrest in June and fitted with an electronic ankle monitor after a separate conviction for "fraudulent administration." She denies the charges and says the prosecutions are politically motivated. Her lawyers have questioned the reliability of the chauffeur’s records, alleging entries were altered more than 1,500 times.
Trial logistics and potential outcome
It was not immediately clear whether Kirchner would appear by video conference from her home in Buenos Aires. Prosecutors expect a lengthy trial; if convicted, Kirchner faces between six and ten years in prison.
Political backdrop
The trial opens amid a turbulent political moment: the Peronist movement suffered a heavy midterm defeat to President Javier Milei’s right‑wing party, which Milei has framed as a mandate for radical free‑market reforms. Observers say the proceedings are likely to deepen Argentina’s political polarisation and will be closely watched both domestically and internationally.
Note: The reporting here summarizes allegations and procedural developments; the outcome of the trial has yet to be decided in court.